Duke 1/2 Iron Race Report

I did the Duke 1/2 Iron Race today. (Read why I decided to do this race in my post of Aug 19).

My goal was to go easy on the swim, go hard on the bike, go easy on the run and just finish the race before the cutoff time to get points for the NCTS. I acheived my goal. My overall time was about 6:37. My swim was 45 minutes. My bike split was just over 3 hours, pace of about 18.5 mph. My run time was pitiful at 2:45. I did quite a bit of walking, stretching, and had to make 3 porta potty stops. I could have pushed myself harder, but I was afraid of injury, and didn’t want to kill my legs two weekends in a row, so went pretty easy on the run. The run was still really really hard. Much harder than the 1/2 marathon I did last week.

When I crossed the finish line, the announcer said my name, and I thought he said I was unofficially first place in my age group. For a brief moment I was esctatic; then I realized no way could I be the first place with my time, unless noone else in my age group showed up. I wonder if he said last place. That would suck.

For being only minimally prepared for this distance, and not rested for this race, I did well even if I did come in last. Am anxious to see official race results.

Here’s some random thoughts. Too tired now to write cohesively:

Water temp was 80deg. I was glad not to have to deal with my wetsuit.

The swim was a bit choppy 50% of the time. They didn’t have enough buoys…it was hard to see them.

Saw a guy on the bike fixing a flat tire. Felt really bad for him. Glad it wasn’t me.

Bike course didn’t seem too hilly to me. But then again, I ride in chapel hill where it’s pretty darn hilly.

Lots of #@%^#$ potholes on the roads. Most were marked with orange paint.

Crossed RR tracks at several points. There were yellow mesh things from people’s aero bottles all over the raod here. I had meant to put a thin strip of duct tape over mine, but forgot. When I saw them all over the road, I tried to put a finger over mine to keep it from popping out when going over tracks.

Too many @#$^$# hills on the run. They probably weren’t nearly as bad as they seemed.
I hate two lap runs. That second lap is so hard.

The volunteers on the course were great, as usual. Especially at the aid stations. Not enough volunteers in the parking lot, so it was hard to find my way into the right place. I arrived on the late side, too (5:59am). A woman yelled at me that I can’t park in that lot. Why didn’t they have that lot blocked off then?

I had brought peanut M&M’s on the bike to nibble on. I had practiced that in training and felt fine. Today it gave me stomach cramps. I ate just two M&M’s and my stomach cramped up. 20 minutes later I tried again, and more cramping. So much for my nutrition plan. I stuck with my Accelerade and Gu and hoped that was enough. Was fine for the bike. Felt pretty weak on the run, but my running legs are just not fresh (i think).

I was trying to make a 3 hour bike split. Didn’t quite make it, but came close. Coming into the park in the final stretch, I was behind a guy that was going too slow. There wasn’t alot of room to pass, and the road was winding. I was afraid to pass him not knowing if the dismount was just around the next corner. It took forever to enter the park, and I was ticked off, it probalby cost me at least a minute. I should have passed him.

I took time during both transitions to dry off and put sunscreen on. It was a very sunny day.

After crossing the finish line I went over the medical hut to get some ice bags to put on my my sore legs. They told me to lay down, and I said I’m okay, I just need some ice. They insisited I lay down on the cot, so I did. It was pretty nice, actually to lay there and have them put cold towels and ice bags on my legs and face.

I think I need to take two very easy weeks to recover from these two races. Good timing since tomorrow I start a new full time job. Yikes.

My quads don’t feel nearly as trashed today as they did after last week’s race. I’m glad I went easy on the run. I limped around for two days last time, and I don’t want to limp around on my new job.

Got to go to bed now… am really tired. I tried to take a nap when I got home at 4pm, but was very thirsty and kept drinking water and having to pee then I got really hungry.

Update 9/12/06:
Official results:

Swim: 45:33
T1: 1:54
Bike: 3:04:02
T2: 4:11 (includes a potty break)
Run: 2:42:12
Overall: 6:37:51

I came in 7th out of 8 in my age group. Not exactly an ego boosting finish.
Here’s a link to race photos:? http://tinyurl.com/es6cb

To ponder: was it worth doing a race that I cuoldn’t finish well? Is it really a big deal to get into the NCTS championship race?? My new job is taking such a bite out of my time that I don’t know how I will balance life/work/job. I’m so strapped for time now 🙁